1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an engine starter and, more particularly, relates to an engine starter wherein a spring force accumulated in a spiral spring for driving a crank shaft of an engine can be dwindled into zero when a recoiling of a rope is completed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the conventional engine starter, such as a so-called recoil starter, an engine starting pulley is rotated by pulling manually a rope wound around the pulley, and the rotation of the pulley is transmitted to a crank shaft of an engine through a centrifugal clutch. In such recoil starter, however, a large pulling force must be applied rapidly to the rope, and accordingly it is difficult to operate positively by a person of feeble strength.
Further, in case that the engine is an internal combustion engine, air pressure in the engine cylinder is fluctuated, and accordingly it is difficult to pull the rope of the conventional recoil starter smoothly and easily according to the load.
In the other conventional engine starter as disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 174061/95, a spiral spring for driving the engine and a one-way clutch are used, and a rope is pulled manually several times to accumulate the spring force in the spiral spring so as to drive the engine.
The other conventional engine starter using a self starting motor is complicated in structure and high in cost. Further, an electric power device for the motor is necessary, and if the electric charging of the electric power device is not sufficient, the motor cannot be actuated. Accordingly, in the outboard motor any conventional recoil starter must be equipped additionally for emergency use.
In case of the engine starter having a centrifugal clutch inserted between the engine starting pulley and the crank shaft of the engine, wherein a spring force is accumulated in the spiral spring by rotating the rope reel several times by pulling the rope in order to rotate the crank shaft, a large spring power is accumulated in the spiral spring before the engine is started, so that if the rope is released inadvertently before the crank shaft of the engine is started, the rope is recoiled rapidly by the power accumulated in the spiral spring, so that the engine starter housing is struck and damaged and the operator is injured by the knob of the rope.